Barry Manilow

Barry Alan Pincus, best known as Barry Manilow, was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 17, 1943. He began playing piano and accordion at age seven. He began singing shortly before his Bar Mitzvah, when he legally changed his surname to his mother’s maiden name. After high school he was accepted in the prestigious Juilliard School of Music. He became musical director of the CBS show Callback and became a commercial jingle writer and singer. Then in 1971, he was hired by Bette Midler as her pianist, producer and arranger. Thanks to his work with Midler, Manilow was able to get a record deal and in 1973 he released his debut album Barry Manilow I. On 1974 Barry released Barry Manilow II with the song “Mandy” becoming a number one hit. “It’s a Miracle” was able to enter the top twenty while “Could It Be Magic” entered the Top Ten.

Manilow’s follow-up album, Tryin’ to Get the Feeling, was released in 1975. The single "I Write the Songs" (ironically, written by Beach Boys sideman Bruce Johnston) became his second number one pop hit and the title track was able to enter the Top Ten. The album was awarded triple platinum. By the end of 1976 Barry released This One’s for You that spawned the Top Ten “Weekend in New England” and number one “Looks Like We Made It”. The following year he released the concert double-LP Live, which became his first and only number one album, as well as his biggest hit with sales of over four million copies. He also won an Emmy for The Barry Manilow Special. In 1978 he released Even Now, which achieved triple platinum, with the singles "Can't Smile Without You," "Copacabana," and "Somewhere in the Night" all hitting Top Ten.

In 1979 Manilow’s One Voice sold well and placed a cover of former Mott the Hoople front man Ian Hunter's "Ships" in the Top Ten. And in 1980 he released Barry from which he generated his last Top Ten hit, “I Made It Through the Rain”. In 1984 Barry released 2:00 AM Paradise Café which presented a jazz-driven style. Subsequent ventures like 1987's Swing Street, 1991's Showstoppers, 1994's Singin' with the Big Bands, and 1998's Manilow Sings Sinatra all explored various facets of swing, vocal jazz and traditional pop. In 2001 he released the concept album Here at the Mayflower and in 2002 he released Ultimate Manilow re-gaining popularity and entering the album charts at number three.